Hello all: Many thanks for the kind replies, and I'm sorry to be so late responding.
A few years ago, I accompanied a dear friend who had cancer to a wig/hat seminar that her hospital provided, and I'm glad I paid attention, as itching and heat were both addressed.
Supposedly a handwoven, human-hair wig at the $3,000 price point eliminates itching and reduces heat. Obviously, unless I win the lottery, a wig that expensive is out of the question. But oddly, I've always wanted a wig, even as a teenager .... just for fun, you understand, not for necessity. So at least I don't see wigs as something shameful, purchased to hide some inadequacy... if a wig was obviously not real hair, I could cheerfully ask people how they like my artificial 'do. (Flamingo pink, maybe.)
Boule de Feu: Yes, it might be hard to endure for long periods in the summer ... but at least here in Canada (I'm in Toronto) we tend to have long winters. Interesting that you have had both weight and hair loss. I initially had a drastic weight loss; now constant bed rest is causing weight gain. Strange how persistent vanity is: along with the illness, weight gain and less than a cup of hair wisping over my head -- dull-looking wisps at that, what my sister calls "sick hair"... just add insult to injury.
Mary Poppins: I use baby shampoo and a wash-out conditioner. It has always been too fragile for anything else. No dyes, perms, or chemicals.
Alice1: Thank you: I will ask my doctor about the hormones.
Cindi: Thank you too! I'm not on DHEA.
Valentijn: Re autoimmune diseases, a young relative of mine had a summer job at a hair salon that makes wigs at reduced prices for people with cancer or alopecia. Of course, this is the right thing to do. When she asked if help could be offered to those with autoimmune diseases, she was told that no salon could stay in business if they did. There may be some truth in that.
At any rate, I found myself cruising Etsy this morning looking for hats, snoods, bandanas, etc., designed for cancer patients. There's no question that this would look better than my real hair. But. envisioning myself that way, I realized that many people would assume I have cancer. And I thought, "Well, at least I might get some sympathy/respect then." I'm not proud of that, especially as I've lost dear friends to cancer. It's a symptom, I guess, of loss of dignity.
